Ankara Court Annuls CHP Leadership, Reinstates Kılıçdaroğlu; BIST-100 Drops 6%

In the most dramatic judicial intervention against Turkey's opposition in years, the 36th Ankara Regional Court of Appeal on May 21, 2026, issued an interim measure annulling the November 2023 CHP party congress and removing party chair Özgür Özel and the full party leadership from office. The court ordered former long-time leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu — who had been voted out by Özel's faction — reinstated as interim chair. The ruling triggered a 6%+ drop in the BIST-100 stock index as investors reacted to increased political uncertainty. The EU, US State Department, and Council of Europe issued statements calling for the opposition to be allowed to operate freely. Human Rights Watch condemned the decision on May 22, calling it 'another blow to Turkey's battered democracy.' Critics note the timing — Özel had led the CHP to its best electoral performance in 22 years (37.8% in March 2024 local elections, surpassing AKP's 35.5% for the first time). With İmamoğlu still jailed, the ruling represents yet another judicial strike against organized opposition ahead of the 2028 presidential election.